Pie cutter



L. A. MYERS PIE CUTTER Jan. 16, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 15, 1960 LESTER A.MY

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Jan. 16, 1962 A. MYERS 3,016,603

PIE CUTTER Filed Feb. 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 22 LESTER A.MYE

NVENTOR ATTORN EY 3,016,608 PIE CUTTER Lester A. Myers, 32% Cortese Drive, Los Alarnitos, Calif. Filed Feb. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 8,613 3 Claims. (Cl. 30--114) This invention relates to a pie cutter in which not only the pie itself but also a paper plate upon which it rests is cut, so that each segment of the pie also rests on a segment of the plate, whereby the pie segment and plate can be wrapped together, thus providing a support for the segment of pie.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel pie cutter in which the cutting die upon which the pie and paper plate rest is formed with spaced radial ribs forming slots, so that the pie plate is supported on each side of the cut which is made in that pie plate by the radial knives.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel pie cutter in which the cutting knives are rigidly mounted in a ring, the ring being constructed and arranged to reciprocate over the positioning die so that the cutting knives can pass entirely through the pie as well as the paper plate upon which it rests. Furthermore, the knife ring can be held in either raised or lowered position so that the pie on its plate can be placed under the knives in one position thereof, and where the pie and plate seg ment can be removed for subsequent wrapping in another position of the knife ring.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a novel pie cutter in which the pie and the plate upon which it rests is adequately supported by means of a positioning die, so that the knives will completely and adequately cut not only the pie itself but also the paper plate upon which it rests.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my pie cutter.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the same with the knife ring broken away to show interior construction.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the an nular pie supporting die.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the knife ring.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the annular supporting die.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view to an enlarged scale and taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary side elevation as viewed from the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a pie segment on a segment of the pie plate.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates a base which is supported on suitable legs 2. A positioning die 3 is fixedly mounted above the base 1 and consists of a plurality of wedge shaped segments 4 which are each mounted on vertical posts 5 rising from the base 1. The segments 4 are fixedly attached to the posts 5' by means of suitable cap screws or other fastening arrangements. The segments 4 are each formed with radially extending walls 6 on each side thereof and these walls are spaced from the corresponding wall of the adjacent segment to form radial slots 7. An annular support 8 rises from the base 1 and the outer ends of each of the segments 4 rest on this annular support to provide further rigidity to the entire forming die. A plurality of vertical grooves or slots 9 are formed in the annular support it which permit the knives (to be sub sequently described) to move below the positioning die 3. The walls 6 of the segments 4 are inclined upwardly at their outer ends as shown at 10, the better to support the outer inclined wall 11 of the paper plate. The outer lip 12 of the paper plate also rests on top of the inclined portions 10 to again provide a better support for the paper plate adjacent the groove 7, so that the cutting knives can more effectively sever and penetrate the paperv plate. This feature is shown in FIGURE 3.

A knife ring 13 is fixedly attached to a pair of vertical rods 14-14. These rods are slidably mounted in the base 1 and extend through suitable sleeve bearings'lS in that base. The knife ring 13 may be formed with oppositely arranged ears 16 into which the rods 14 extend to thus fixedly attach the knife ring to the rods. A horizontal bar 17 connects the lower ends of the rods 14 and holds these rods properly spaced so that they will slide easily through the bearings 15. A hand lever 18 is pivotally attached to a link it, which link in turn is pivotally secured to the base 1 as shown at .20. A link 21 is pivotally secured at one'end to the lever 18 and the other end of this last named link is fixedly secured to the bar 17. Thus manual manipulation of the lever 18 will permit the knife ring 13 to be raised and lowered vertically with relation to the positioning die 3. The inside diameter of the ring 13 is somewhat greater than the outside diameter of the positioning die 3 and the annular support 8, so that the knife ring can move below the positioning die 3 in the lowered position of the knife ring 13 and when the pie and its plate have been completely severed.

A plurality of metal knives 22 are fixedly attached at one end to the knife ring 13 and extend radially towards the center of that ring. The knives are fixedly secured in the lugs 23 which depend from the ring 13. The knives 22 are preferably inclined upwardly towards the center of the ring 13 so that the outer rim 12 of the pie plate will be cut first and will be sliced towards the center of the plate, thus providing a cleaner and more effective cut.

In operation The positioning die 3 is positioned somewhat above the base 1, due to the mounting posts 5 to which the positioning die is attached. The annular support 8 provides a rest for the outer edge of the die. The pie in its paper plate is positioned on the walls 6 of the segments 4 of the die and is centered by the outer ends 10 of the walls 6. The knife ring 13, during this positioning of the pie and its plate, is in its raised position as shown in FIGURE 1. The lever 18 is now depressed manually (or by other suitable means) so that the knives 22 are caused to move through the slots 7 in the positioning die 3, thus severing the pie and the plate on which it rests. The knives 22 can move entirely through the die 3 and into the slots 9 of the supportS, as shown in FIGURE 6. While the knife ring 13 isin its lowered position the pie segments, shown in FIGURE 9, are individually removed and wrapped for subsequent sale. After all of the pie segments have been removed from the die 3 the knife ring 13 is again moved upwardly by means of the lever 18 to its original raised position, at which time the operation is repeated.

Having described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A pie cutter comprising a base, a positioning die fixedly mounted on the base, said die consisting of a plurality of complementary wedge shaped sections, each of said sections being spaced to provide radial slots therebetween, means mounting each section spaced above the top surface of the base, a vertical wall on each side edge and extending above the wedge shaped sections, the outer ends of each of said vertical walls being inclined upr-ality of radially arranged knives mounted in said ring,

each. of said knives. being aligned with one of the slots in the positioning die, and means to reciprocate said rods and knife ring.

2. A pie cutter. comprising. a base, a positioning die fixedly mounted on the'base, said die consisting of a plurality of. complementary Wedge shaped sections, each of said sections being spaced. to provide radial slots therebetween, means mounting; each section spaced above the top-surface of the base, a vertical wall on each side edge and extending above the wedge shaped sections, the outer ends of each of said vertical walls being inclined upwardly to conform to the shape of the outer rim of a pie pan, an annular support rising vertically from the base, said posi tioning. die resting on top of the annular support, said support. having vertical grooves therein aligned With said radial slots in the positioning die, a pair of rods slidably mounted in the base, a knife ring mounted on the upper end of said rods, a plurality of radially arranged knives mounted in said ring, each of said knives being aligned with: one of the slots in the positioning die, and means to reciprocatev said rods and knife ring.

3. A pie cutter comprising a base, a positioning die fixedly mounted on the base, said die consisting of a plurality of complementary wedge shaped sections, each of said sections being spaced to provide radial slots therebetween, means mounting each section spaced above the top surface of the base, a vertical Wall on each side edge and extending above the Wedge shaped sections, the outer ends of each of said vertical walls being inclined upwardly to conform to the shape of the outer rim of a pie pan, an annular support rising vertically from the base, said positioning die resting on top oithe annular support, said support having vertical grooves therein aligned with said radial slots. in the positioning die, a pair of rods slidably mounted in the base, a knife ring mounted on the upper end of said rods, a plurality of radially arranged knives mounted in said ring, each of said knives being aligned with one of the slots in the positioning die, and means to reciprocate said rods and knife ring, consisting of a lever pivotally mounted. on said base, and link means connecting said lever and said rods.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,453,367 Schipplock et al. May 1, 1923 2,581,501 Shaver Jan. 8, 1952 2,707,504. Hill a- May 3, 1955 2,836,212 Shaw May 27, 1958 2,966,020 Welsh Sept. 29, 1959 

